I’m not really sure how I feel about this show. On the one hand, I’m glad Mecca Normal is still doing the same sort of vaguely uncomfortable rock they’ve been doing for as long as I can remember. It’s fairly impressive that Jean Smith is still interested in spending her spare time getting up in front of a crowd and staring at them disconcertingly while reciting intensely personal lyrics. Admirable, but I’m not sure it entirely makes for a pleasant evening’s entertainment. The new material is very heavy on stories from her efforts at online dating, which would be fine if they were delivered in anything remotely resembling song structure. Mecca Normal’s never really been a pop band, but the songs at least used to have choruses and hooks and such. Now it’s basically David Lester playing a riff (and, I should point out here, he is still one of the most entertaining guitarists to watch – no one dances with his guitar the way he does) while Jean recites spoken word about her dating life. They wrapped with “I Walk Alone” and “Throw Silver” which were nice to hear again. And, really, I do enjoy watching Jean Smith leap off the stage and scream “I Walk Alone” at unsuspecting bar patrons in the adjoining room.